Champions League Draw: Adjustments Each Team Must Make for a Serious Title Run

The UEFA Champions League quarterfinals are underway, and eight brilliant teams are ready to secure a spot in the semifinals. To do so, some adjustments are in place, either on a specific line or in the strategy.

The first leg will be completed today. Olympique de Marseille receives Bayern Munich and the reigning champion Barcelona visits Milan at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza.

Yesterday, Real Madrid defeated APOEL and Chelsea took advantage over Benfica.

Without further ado, let's see what these titans must adjust if they want become serious contenders for the title.

APOEL

Good defense, but no midfield and offense, which resulted in a 3-0 defeat at home. Many hoped that APOEL could accomplish the feat and continue the Cinderella story but fell short.

The Cypriots must leave fear and nervousness aside if they want to pull out a miracle finish at Santiago Bernabéu. The key is controlling the ball by avoiding long passes and being more organized in the midfield to create real goal opportunities.

If they manage to beat Los Blancos, APOEL will get to the semifinals with momentum, confidence and a real chance to make a run for the title.

Barcelona

Barcelona needs to improve in the defensive line, as it hasn't been up to the standards.

While the offense is fully synched, with Xavi, Iniesta, Alexis Sánchez and Lionel Messi leading the attack, Pep Guardiola needs Gerard Piqué and Dani Alves to focus on the game and avoid unnecessary tackles.

Carles Puyol is for sure the leader in this department, especially for his toughness and intelligence, but he's not as fast as he used to be. The team needs more depth.

Milan will take advantage of Zlatan Ibrahimović's physical attributes and strength to break Barça's lines.

Bayern Munich

One of the toughest clubs in the quarterfinals is Bayern Munich. The Bavarians must improve their record outside Allianz Arena if they want to grab their fifth UEFA Champions League.

Jupp Heynckes' squad has only won as visitors against Valencia, on group stage. After that, the team has two defeats, in front Manchester City and Basel, and a draw with Napoli.

Leaving Stade Vélodrome with advantage is imperative. Franck Ribery, Mario Gomez and Arjen Robben will lead Bayern's attack, but with Bastian Schweinsteiger still doubtful for the match, the Bavarian squad must find a way to replace the player who gives depth to the team.

Benfica

The undefeated run is over. Benfica' loss to Chelsea meant the Portuguese were defeated for the first time at Estádio da Luz in the current Champions League.

The Eagles don't have a good away record. They didn't register a single victory in the stage group—lost to Otelu Galati and Basel and tied with Manchester United—and in the Round of 16 they lost to Zenit.

Benfica needs more depth and a better organization when it comes to attacking. The players couldn't break Chelsea's defense, which led them to despair. Lack of patience can result in losing games, as it happened today.

Chelsea

The Blues are getting better by the minute. After Roberto Di Matteo took over Chelsea, the club recorded four victories, one draw and one defeat.

Nonetheless, Fernando Torres isn't scoring which doesn't mean he hasn't had great performances lately, and Raul Meireles hasn't been a difference in the midfield. Chelsea's boss needs to adjust his lines.

Frank Lampard is a better playmaker; he's more creative, which the club needs to become a contender. Also, adding Didier Drogba to the attack can balance Torres' lack of goals.

Milan

The whole squad needs to step up and play without distractions. Barcelona's tiki taka can be overwhelming.

Milan will rely on Zlatan Ibrahimovic to make a difference in the match. But the primary focus of Massimiliano Allegri should be in the midfield. Keeping the ball and creating plays will be Antonio Nocerino's primary task.

The worst news for Milan is that Thiago SIlva has been ruled out due to a thigh injury.

Olympique De Marseille

Injuries and suspensions couldn't have come in a worse moment for Olympique's manager Didier Deschamps.

Loic Remy, who has scored twice, Souleymane Diawara, the heart of the defense, and goalkeeper Steve Mandanda will miss the first leg of the quarterfinals.

Marseille hasn't had a lot of success when playing home in this Champions League. Only two victories, including a surprising 3-0 against Borussia Dortmund, and a 1-0 in front of Inter.

Playing at the Stade Vélodrome doesn't guarantee success. Marseille hasn't won a match at home since February 22, including four Ligue 1 meetings and one Coupe de France game.

Real Madrid

Despite crushing APOEL 3-0, Real Madrid needs to be more consistent. Cristiano Ronaldo and Mezut Ozil had a handful of chances to score still they couldn't do it.

Jose Mourinho had to change his strategy after the Cypriots tried to suffocate Los Blancos and brought Kaká and Marcelo to the pitch. The Brazilian duo proved that the squad was missing speed and creativity, which they brought and resulted in three goals.

There's no doubt that Real Madrid is in great shape, but APOEL isn't the strongest team in the quarterfinals. In the second leg, the Spanish club is obliged to show it's true potential.